Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-08
THE FREE PASS SYSTEM.
MhatIt Costs the Kailroads.

A Boston railroad man, when asked why
the roads were so willing to shut OIL free
passes, under the law, said:
Simply to protect ourselves from a prac-
lice which has been growing rapidly Tor
the past ten years and which promises to
paralyze our passenger business unless
checked. The Interstate bill oifered US
the very opportunity we wanted. we
Jumped at it as drowning man catches Il
straw. ,,
"Nobody but railroad man knows how
extensive the free pass system was IN
Boston. Last summer during the White
Mountain season, the Boston ana Lowell
road kept clerk who did nothing else but
fiji out passes to applicants. He was kept
busy, too The stubs of free-pass books In
the different railroad offices of Boston
would make big library II they were all
collected The growth of the pass system.
like that of any other vice, has been grad
ual and insidious. The manager or agent
of a road goes to a tailor, for instance, and
gets good bargain in suit of clothes.
In few weeks the tailor comes and wants
pass. He gets it, Later he wants one
for his wife, his partner, his sister, his
friends and his acquantances.
"Our greatest loss, however, has been
from merchants who handle large amounts
of freight. They pay cash for the trans
portation of their goods, and having
choice of lines over which the freight may
come, they have been in the habit OF going
from one railroad official to another, using
this leverage, not only for themselves, but
for their customers aud friends. The
number of season passes given to Boston
merchants was beyond computation.
The president of one of the leading
trunk fines says that if the pass system
were done away the receipts of his line
from passenger traffic would be increased
at least 81, O0O, 900. That represents 10
per cent on slO,0OO,o00 of capital. Aud
that is but one trunk line. In round num-
bers there are 1901 600 miles of track in the
United States over which the annual re-
ceipts for passenger traffic alone are about
5000, 600 which is equal to tax OF
per cent per capita on every man, woman
and child in this country. These figures
are startling. If one trunk line, represent
ing but a fraction of the entire mileage
loses 81 100000 giving passes what an
enormous increase in revenue there would
be now if the pass sytem were abolished
altogether,
"TEN THOUSAND A YEAR."
"There are various kinds of passes
used" said railway official yesterday.
For instance, on one line we have four
kinds: ANIMALS, season passes for
certain portions of the year, monthly
passes and trip passes. Annals are
issued to the officers of the road,
as to the officials of other roads whose
business requires them to travel frequent
ly over our lines judges, members of Con
gress, and members of the State Legisla-
ture. OF this kind we have some 900 out.
Monthly passes are given to rail-
road employees, editors of codntry news
papers in towns through which the road
runs, and county and town officials, in
Guiding the assessors of taxes These
amount to about 700 month or 9,4O0 a
year. Season passes are not so common,
but of trip passes there are at least 10000 a
year given away.
George Gould said This new act in so
far as it does away with passes will be a
relief to the roads. The giving of passes
is so much abused that any measure that
will put a stop to it will be beneficial
AS it is now members of Congress and
State legislatures, politicians generally,
large shippers over the road, all expect
passes as matter of course to which
must be added a large number who in
some way or another bleed the road for
passes.
President Keep of the Chicago and
Northwestern says THE pass prohibitory
law should receive general commentator.
The system has grown into a burden, a
nuisance. Fully one-third of those who
ride free travel Of necessity rather than
for pleasure and hence | calculate that
our revenue will increase by just one.
third OF the Tree transportation Issued
last year-what that was l do not care to
state.
General Passenger Agent Morton, Chi
cago, Burlington and QUINCY suppose
that in round figures 20 per cent Of our total
traffic last year was deadhead. The bulk
of this was to politicians and similar kin.
! calculate that our receipts for the year
will increase to the extent of 40 per cent
of the total free list of 1856, and that it
will not be necessary to replace the rolling
stock as rapidly as hitherto. The clause
means to us more money, more newspaper
and other advertising, and effort to main
tain the road upon a higher plane than
any competing one. Like the merchant
we have simply now got to stand or fall
by the quality of our wares.
General Passenger Agent Ruggles
Michigan Central-Heretofore our passen
ger department passes have been put
where they will do the most good in the
way of bringing US trade, and so with
other roads. Now that it is free field
and no favor, each road must stand on it,
merits and eXtraneous efforts to get bust
ness will give way before substantial i'm
provements, which after all are the bes
advertisement. In my judgment one-hal
of those who have hitherto ridden free viii
hereafter pay fare